Marketing Courses, Certifications, and Training for CPG Professionals.
CPG training—such as certifications, professional courses, and online programs—are often crucial for professionals to build competency and feel in control.
We’re slowly compiling the best resource of training solutions for CPG professionals.
We invite you to reach out if you have a valuable contribution to this page.
Quickly Jump To:
Online CPG Courses
Business School Programs
Specialized Marketing Programs and Courses
Professional Associations
CPG Trade Shows
CPG Voices on Social
Why is CPG Training Important?
Once upon a time, consumer packaged goods (CPG) reached customer hands through a highly defined process.
Manufacturers distributed products to wholesalers, who then passed them down the chain to retail establishments before finally going home with their new owners. Consumers learned of these products by way of just a few media channels.
As time passed, distribution got broader, competition stiffened, and new technologies added complexity.
Understanding your way around CPG? Well, that wasn’t so simple anymore.
Furthermore, how people learn about new products also underwent a deep change. Many consumers still discover new brands and products through traditional media such as TV, print and radio. But online advertising and social media marketing have seen remarkable explosions in popularity, adding more noise and complexity to the mix.
What customers look for on store shelves also changes with surprising speed. The reality of climate change, cultural movements, and factors like the increasing cost-of-living have resulted in a variety of buying behavior changes.
None of us are born knowing how to navigate these economic and cultural shifts. However, participating in continuing learning and training can bridge each new gap and keep your brand viable amid a sea of change.
What do CPG Brand Managers & Marketers Want to Learn?
When we asked CPG Marketers & Brand Managers what areas of knowledge they’d like to strengthen, these were common responses (in no particular order):
- Brand Strategy Development - Understanding how to create and sustain strong brands, including brand positioning, equity, architecture, and lifecycle management.
- Consumer Behavior - Studying how consumers make decisions, their buying habits, and psychological influences to tailor marketing strategies effectively.
- Digital Marketing - Learning about SEO, social media, content marketing, email marketing, and digital advertising to engage with the consumer.
- Market Research - Gaining skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods to gather and analyze data for informed decision-making.
- Data Analytics - Learning how to interpret and use data to optimize marketing strategies and measure the effectiveness of brand initiatives.
- Crisis Management - Preparing for potential brand crises and learning how to manage communications and reputation during sensitive situations.
- Sustainability and Ethics - Understanding how to integrate sustainable practices and ethical considerations into brand strategy.
- Innovation Management - Encouraging creativity and innovation within the team to keep the brand dynamic and competitive.
- Leadership and Team Building - Developing leadership skills to manage and inspire a diverse team of professionals.
- Customer Experience Management - Designing and optimizing the end-to-end customer journey to enhance satisfaction and loyalty.
- Financial Literacy - Evaluating which projects or initiatives are worth investing in based on potential returns and strategic fit. Learning how to read and interpret financial statements to gauge the financial health and performance of brand activities.
Below, you’ll find links to online-courses, university-level programs, and even a list of chatty CEOs that can help you with some of these topics.
Online CPG Courses
Nothing beats the experience you gain on the job, but that doesn’t always fill in all the blanks. These providers offer reasonably priced solutions to meet your educational needs:
• Crew Marketing
Crew is a Food & Beverage Marketing Agency that works with international brands like Lindt Chocolate, Lee Kum Kee, and many more. They offer:
📚 - CPG Strategy School
It’s a live, half-day online format that goes into topics such as category product review, target audience analysis, price & positioning strategies, brand strategies, campaign tactics, and much more. This is a great option for people that like to learn with others, and ask live questions.
• Udemy
Udemy is an online learning platform that provides many marketing programs. These pre-recorded courses are reasonably priced, with specific CPG Courses including:
📚 - Marketing Strategies of Consumer Brands (FMCG/CPG)
Essential learning for aspiring Brand Managers
📚 - How to Price Consumer Products (FMCG/CPG)
Learn how to Price Consumer Goods and understand the Financial impact of your decisions. Includes advanced templates.
📚 - CPG CAMP: Brand Analytics
Learn the keys to P&L Management, Analyzing Consumption, Forecasting, Brand Health, and the Business Planning process
• Coursera
Coursera works with universities and large private organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in a variety of subjects, including topics relevant to CPG brands.
📚 - Brand Management
This course was created by the University of London.
📚 - Market Research
Here, the University of California, Davis digs into an important topic.
• LinkedIn Learning (Formerly Lynda.com)
LinkedIn Learning offers group rates, along with individual rates depending on your needs. There are relevant CPG-related courses, including:
📚 - Marketing Foundations: Consumer Behavior
Professor Drew Boyd looks at how psychological factors such as motivation, appetite for risk, and self-perception impact buying decisions.
📚 - Supply Chain Basics For Everyone
Instructor Daniel Stanton spells out how supply chains function and shows how to leverage the basic principles of supply chain management.
• Marketing Week
Here’s a brand that’s been at the center of the marketing industry for more than 40 years. Marketing Week offers flexible MBA-level training from top business schools. Made by marketers, for marketers anywhere in the world.
📚 - Mini-MBA in Marketing
Led by Professor Mark Ritson, Mini MBA in Marketing guides you through the core MBA marketing content in just 10 on-demand modules.
📚 - Mini-MBA in Brand Management
Learn Brand Management in 10 modules in 12 weeks. This course covers the complete brand journey from diagnosis through to execution and tracking.
• Beloved Brands
“We make your people smarter so they deliver their best possible performance on your brand” is this company’s promise. Beloved Brands course creator is author Graham Robertson, who has CPG experience at Johnson & Johnson, General Mills, and Coke. His course is:
📚 - Brand Management Training
This program is designed for teams that need a boost with marketing fundamentals.
• Sweathead by Mark Pollard
As Mark puts it “Sweathead started as a place for people to come together and practice strategy.” To date, many many people have practiced strategy with Mark. While not specifically CPG focused, Mark has a history of working with a variety of consumer brands during his agency career. Mark offers:
📚 - Team Training
Customized learning for your CPG brand.
📚 - Memberships
Self-directed learning with pre-recorded content.
• Planning Dirty by Julian Cole
Julian is another agency strategist turned teacher. His generous wealth of knowledge comes to life in his planning dirty class where he teaches strategy fundamentals. Julian brings experience of working with CPG brands like Coke, Bacardi, Snickers, M&Ms, Axe, Mountain Dew, and many more.
📚 - Planning Dirty Academy
The Planning Dirty Academy is an online course and private community for anyone who wants to transform into a certified strategist.
Business School Programs | In-Person Training
These marketing leadership programs from top business schools promise to turn you into the next great consumer goods CMO, but it does come at a price:
📚 - Columbia Business School | Chief Marketing Officer Program
This program has a duration of roughly 9 to 12 Months. With a fee of over $25,000 (USD). An online option also exists.
📚 - Stanford Business School | The Emerging CMO: Strategic Marketing Leadership
The program provides a Strategic Marketing Leadership for emerging CMOs. It is in-person training with a program fee of $15,000 (USD).
Free Specialized Marketing Programs and Courses
Those interested in the more technical aspects of consumer goods marketing can advance their skills through these specialized (and free) programs:
📚 - Copyblogger Content Marketing Tools and Training
This is a free course available via email that’s well worth any marketer’s time.
📚 - Google’s Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Course
This is also free and consists of 26 modules over 40 hours of learning.
Professional Associations for CPG Learning
Here are three groups to consider joining if you’re interested in CPG courses and work in the industry:
- The Consumer Brands Association provides updates, education, research and a terrific blog featuring up-to-date articles on CPG marketing strategies.
- The Association for Supply Chain Management offers various certifications to drive innovation in the industry and optimize supply chains.
- The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals boasts over 60 years of service to the industry with research, local roundtables and continuing CPG certification opportunities.
View our list of complete list of US Food & Beverage Associations.
CPG Trade Shows to Consider Attending
There are a variety of conferences worth investigating for your continuing CPG training needs. Some are better suited for networking, while others have more lectures, keynote speakers and training opportunities.
Here are some worth attending:
- Expo West dedicates itself to natural products and sustainability.
- Bevnet offers three annual conferences devoted to the food, beverage and beer industry.
- Digital Food and Beverage offers trendsetting and visionary speakers transforming the food and beverage industry for the digital age.
- CPG Summit brings together CEOs and executives in the CPG industry to discuss issues rising to the C-suite level.
If you’re keen to learn more, we keep an up-to-date list of US food and beverage events, as well as food trade shows in Canada.
CPG Voices to Follow on Social Media
Prefer your education straight from the proverbial horse's mouth? You can learn a lot from these voices:
- Mike Cessario
CEO / Founder of Liquid Death
Mike delivers a lot of creative wisdom, with a dose of humor. - Gail Becker
Founder and CEO of Caulipower
Gail keeps her communication real, and her support for female entrepreneurship is tangible. - Jake Karls
Co-founder of Mid Day Snacks
Jake brings a wealth of transparent communication to Linkedin. - Bradon Douglas
CEO of Crew / Partner Hardbite Potato Chips
Braden regularly speaks on Food & Beverages related topics, as well as leadership. - Daniel Lubetzky
Founder of KIND Snacks
Daniel has been known to answer follower questions on Linkedin, and post helpful perspectives on running a CPG brand. - Eric Ryan
Serial Entrepreneur / Investor
Eric co-founded brands such as method, OLLY, and Welly and is a useful follow on social media. - Vanessa Pham
Co-founder of Omsom
Vanessa created a beloved brand and successfully sold it. We can all learn from her journey. - Daniel Lubetzky
Founder of KIND Snacks
Daniel warmly engages with his followers and shares helpful CPG insights. - Becca Millstein
Co-Founder / CEO at Fishwife
Becca is part of the reason that canned fish is suddenly cool. - Kit Gammell
Co-founder of Surreal
Cereal ads so edgy and fun, it’s as if Ryan Reynolds is wearing a Kit Gammell costume. - Benjamin Witte
Founder & CEO of Recess
Few brands blend humor, culture, and product like they do. Go follow Recess on IG right now. - Karen Danudjaja
Co-Founder & CEO at Blume
Karen is on a mission to make Blume your best friend in wellness. - Tara Bosch
Founder SmartSweets
Tara is a smart and joyous spirit, and we love the content she shares on LinkedIn.
Thanks for Reading!
If you feel we’re missing any courses, voices, or training resources, please email us at info@crewmp.com.
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